F&ES 985b / 2018-2019

Capstone: Urban, Suburban, and Regional Planning Practice

Credits: 3

Spring 2019: W, 5:30-8:20, Kroon 319

Building from the topics covered in FES 817a, this capstone course provides the opportunity for students to apply the theory of practice developed during that course to a real world, local project for a public or civic sector client as part of an inter-disciplinary student team. Up to two teams of between four and five students each will work together focusing on a critical neighborhood of New Haven or a nearby municipality. The emphasis in each location will be identifying and overcoming the tensions and conflicts between economic, social, and environmental objectives to develop a balanced strategy for the neighborhood that meets stakeholders goals within the context of overarching regional, national, and even global challenges and opportunities (e.g. climate change and demographic shifts). Towards that end, students will be exposed to the detailed process of local government and decision-making as well as techniques use by city planners to collect and assess data and utilize that information coupled with stakeholder engagement to develop tools to help the community achieve their vision. With a focus on inter-disciplinary problem solving and the collective project management resulting in a client-driven work product, students will learn valuable skills for their future careers.